Mophead and means for compressing same



Jan. 18, 1955 L. H. DUNCAN 2,699,563

MOPHEAD AND MEANS FOR COMPRESSING SAME Filed Oct 25, 1948 I g 6' ATTORNEYS United States Patent- 1 2,699,563 MOPHEAD AND MFANS FOR COMPRESSING AME Lee H. Duncan, Albany, Oreg. Application October 25, 1948, Serial No. 56,281 11 Claims. (Cl. 15- 119) This invention relates to mops and is more particularly concerned with a self-wringing wet mop.

It is accordingly the primary object of this invention to provide a novel, mechanical wringing device associated with the mop. A more specific object is to provide a mechanical wringing device in association with a mop having a reversible head and two mopping surfaces. The invention also contemplates a mop having a readily replaceable absorbent body.

Still another object is to provide a squeegee in comb nation with a mop head.

Still another object is to provide a mop head having rigid plates disposed on each of two sides of said mop head and means for urging said plates toward each other thereby to compress said mop head and express absorbed water from the mopping surface to provide a selfcleansing action.

Yet another object is to provide a rotatably connected handle for said mop with said'handle being so connected to the mop head that the mop may be operated in a number of different relative positions of said head and handle to facilitate guiding of the mop for mopping under furniture and in narrow places.

The above and still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the mop;

Figure 2 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the mop head and a fragmentary portion of the handle;

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the handle rotated 90 degrees to lie in the plane of the longitudinal axis of the mop head;

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an operational view but with the squeegee inner holding plates omitted corresponding tothe section view in Figure 4 showing the absorbent body of the mop under compression;

Figure 6 Figure 2;

Figure 7 is an end elevation of a modified embodiment of the invention;

Figure 8 is an operational view similar to Figure 7 but with the squeegee inner holding plates omitted, partly in section, showing the mop head compressed; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure It will be seen from the drawings that the invention contemplates broadly a mop head comprising a body of compressible, absorbent material having rigid'inembers on the two opposite sides of said body which do not normally engage the floor surface, one of said rigid members being restrained against displacement from the, plane thereof by engagement with the mop handle and the'other of said rigid members being connected to the resistance end of a mechanical advantage or leverage arrangement cooperatively associated with the mop handle as a fulcrurn for multiplying a manual force applied to the end of said leverage arrangement, thereby to urge the rigid member connected to the leverage arrangement toward the rigid member restrained against movement out of its plane and'thereby compress the absorbent material between said members to express therefrom absorbed water. It will also be observed and appreciated that the rigid members may be incidentally associated with a flexible material having a sharply defined continuous edge, such as a rubber sheet, to constitute a squeegee in combination with said mop.

Referring to the drawings, the mop will be seen to comprise a mop head generally designated by the numeral 20, and a handle 22. The handle is provided with a ferrule is a section view taken on the line 6. 6 of terminating in a flattened portion 24, angularly disposed with respect to the axis of the handle. The mop head comprises an absorbent body 26 and a pair of rigid members 28 and 39, one arranged on each of the sides of the absorbent body, as distinguished from its top 31 and bottom 32. The absorbent body is preferably constructed in the shape of a quadrilateral prism from cellulosic sponge material, although any suitable absorbent material and any suitable shape may be employed.

The rigid members 28 and 30 may be in the form of metal'plate members, and, in preferred practice, there is secured to each plate a relatively stiff, flexible sheet of rubber 33, having edge dimensions, in the form illustrated, slightly smaller than the corresponding edge dimensions of the sides of the absorbent body with which it is in contact. The construction of the plate members 28 and 30 is best seen in Figure 6, wherein the flexible rubber sheet 33 is supported on each side by a rigid outer plate 34 and an inner plate 36 and the three are integrally joined in the rear plate member 23 by means of a series of longitudinally spaced pins 38, positioned in bores in the plates 34 and 36 and secured thereto in riveted-like engagement, by swaging, at their head ends and having their lengths projecting forward through the absorbent body 26 and the front plate member 301. Plates 34 and 36 and the flexible rubber sheet 33 are integrally joined in the front plate member by means of rivets 40 (see Figure 2). It is obvious, as shown in Figures 5 and 8, that the inner plates 36 may be omitted if desired. Each plate member, as thus composed, may be regarded as a plate assembly. The rear plate assembly 28 is rotatably attached, at a point substantially central of its area, to the handle by means of a tubular rivet 42 passing through a bore in the assembly and a bore in the flattened portion 24 of the ferrule attached to the handle, as best seen in Figures 2 and 4. It will be observed that it is restrained against movement out of its plane, but is freely rotatable in its plane about the tubular rivet 42 as an axis, and thereby may assume any position within 360 degrees of rotation with respect to the handle.

It will be understood, of course, that the plate members 28 and 39 may take any desired form so long as suflicient rigidity and contact area is maintained to compress the absorbent body therebetween. However, a solid surface plate area is preferred for reasons more fully hereinafter set forth. The rubber sheet 33 is employed to provide a squeegee action in combination with the mop and is unnecessary so far as the compressing function of the plate is concerned.

The absorbent body, or sponge, 26 and the front plate assembly 30 are provided with a corresponding number of longitudinally spaced registering bores for receiving the pins 38 in loose fitting engagement. These pins 38 serve both as support means for the sponge and front plate assembly and also serve as guide means to maintain the plates and sponge in alignment. Guards 44, made of rubber or suitable resilient or cushion material, are frict'ionally attached to the front ends of the pins by means of complementally spaced recesses receiving the projecting pin ends.

' Mechanical advantage means for compressing the absorbent body between the front and rear plate members is provided in the form of an offset lever 48 pivotally mounted on the handle at 50 with the pivot pin preferably passing through the metal ferrule for bearing support. The resistance end of the mechanical advantage means is in the form of a short forearm portion 52 of the lever, preferably forked, to straddle the ferrule, for balance. The work end of the lever is constituted by a long, rear arm 54 arcuately shaped to fit the handle in complemental relation, which shape incidentally improves its rigidity against bending moment. A loop 56 is provided at the extreme rear end of the long arm for engagement by the fingers of the operator. The short forearm portion is provided with an aperture 58 at its fore end for pivotally receiving the looped end 60 (Figure 2) of a link 62 extending through the tubular rivet 42, the absorbent body 26 and the front plate assembly 30. The link 62 is secured to the front plate assembly by means of a cotter pin 64, or other suitable fastener, and thereby completes the assembly of the mop head. The front plate assembly is restrained against forward movement away from the sponge and off the pins 38 and link 62 by means of the cotter pin 64, but is freely movable on the supporting pins 38 and with the link 62 toward the rear plate as. sembly 28 to compress the sponge. The link 62 may be provided with limiting means adjacent the interior side of the front plate assembly, for instance, a cotter pin 66, to assist the resiliency of the sponge in carrying the plate forward with link 62 upon return of the lever 48 to its normal position. This provision is more useful as the sponge becomes worn and loses its resilience.

It will now be seen that in operation the mop head is reversible, by virtue of the rotatable connection with the handle, and may be used with either the top 31 or bottom 32 as mop surfaces. In this way, one surface may be kept re atively clean and reserved for wiping up at the conclusion of the heavy mopping. Also by virtue of the rotatably attached handle, an infinite number of relative positions between the mop head and handle may be obtained through 90 de rees of rotation. The normal position is as shown in Fi ure 1. where the plane of the handle is perpendicular to the lon itudinal axis of the mop head, in which position the an le of attachment of the mop, as determined by the angle formed between the flattened porti n 24 of the ferrule and the longitudinal axis of the handle, are such that the mop may be used on the floor in the most convenient standing position of the user. The relative positions of the mop head and handle shown in Fi ure 3, wherein the handle lies in the plane of the longitudinal axis of the mop head, and positions intermediate those of Figures 1 and 3, are useful when the mop is to be used under furniture and in places of relatively narrow dimensions into which it would be impossible to proiect the mop with the handle extending in its normal position. Still another advantage of the rotatable attachment of the mop head to the handle is that it constitutes a swivel connection for guiding the mop head during use by a sim le turn of the wrist.

Fi ures 4 and 5 sh w the self-wringing operation of the mop. wherein it will be observed that when the long arm portion 54 of the offset lever 48 is moved angularly fr m the handle bv the operator, the short arm portion 52 also moves from its normal position of rest. and by m ans of the li k 62 connected between the short arm and the front plate assembly, the front plate assembly is urged laterally toward the rear plate assembly, and the absorbent spon e body between the plates is thereby compressed to expel the water absorbed therein.

The fore end of arm 54 is constructed with respect to the pivot 50 to provi e a. shoulder 68 for abutting engagement with the handle in the operating position of arm 54, as shown in Figure 5, to limit compression of the sponge to a predetermined extent designed to protect the sponge a ainst damage from excessive wringing.

It will further be noted that the absorbed water is forced out through the mopping surfaces, since the front and rear plate assemblies prevent its escape through the sides of the absorbent body. Expressing the absorbed water throu h the mopping surfaces is advantageous in that it provides a self-c eansing action for the surface of the mop. washing away dirt and foreign matter, particularly such as hair, which ordinarily clings and adheres to a mop surface. It will also be seen that such wringing action constitutes an improved method over ordinary methods in that it does not drive or wring the dirt into the mop.

Downward pressure on the mop head serves to bring the lower edge of the rubber sheet 33 in. contact with the surface being mopped and thereby provide a squeegee action. It will be appreciated that the mop head mav be tilted about its longitudinal axis so that either the rubber sheet in the front plate assembly or in the rear plate assembly may be used as a squeegee, and also either the top or bottom edges. There is thus provided the usual advantages of a squeegee, and there is provided additional advantages of a squeegee in combination with a mop. One such advantage is that the water or liquid pushed ahead of the rear squeegee blade will be absorbed by the mop as it piles up in front of the squeegee. Another advantage of the squeegee in combination with the mop is that it may be used for loosening very stubborn dirt by pushing down and scrubbing with the stiff rubber blade edge.

Disassembly of the mop inorder to replace the sponge member when the same becomes worn, or if excessively soiled, is easily accomplished by removing the cotter pin 64, lifting off the guards 44 and the front plate assembly 30, inserting a new absorbent body filler, and reassembling the mop head. I

The modified embodiment shown in Figures 7, .8 and 9 is constructed generally similar to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 through 6, in that it is provided with front and rear plate assemblies and a handle rotatably mounted on the rear plate assembly. However, the mechanical advantage means attached to the handle as one point of connection and to the front plate assembly as the other point of connection employs, in this modification, the principle of the loose pulley. A flexible link 80 of wire is connected to the front plate assembly by securing one end of the same in the hole 82 of a pin 84 provided with an abutting head 86 for engagement with the front plate assembly. The rear end of the link 80 is attached to a loose pulley 88. Passing through the loose pulley is a cord 90 with one end secured to the handle at 92 and having its other end secured to the handle at 94 for convenience. When it is desired to compress the mop head, the operator grasps the upper end of the cord which thereby pulls the pulley to the rear, which in turn pulls the front plate toward the rear plate to compress the abs rbent body of the mop.

The flexible link 80 is preferably made by passing a wire through the hole in the pin 84 and tightly swaging the loose end in the pulley housing shank 102. Disconnection of the front plate assembly from the mop head cannot, therefore, be conveniently made in this embodiment in the manner described in the first embodiment, and, therefore. replacement of the absorbent sponge is facilitated by making the absorbent sponge body in two parts 99 and having their inner ends abutting the connecting link 80, best seen in Fi ure 9. In order to replace the sponge parts, the guards 98 are removed from the proiecting ends of the guide pins 104. and the front plate assemb y is pulled forward to where it clears the projecting guide pins. It is then displaced out of the lateral projected area of the sponge members, while still connected to the link 80. The sponge members 99 and 100 are then removed, replacements inserted, and the head reassembled in reverse procedure.

The e is thus provided in accordance with the present invention a novel mop of light wei ht construction which is flexible in use and is provided with novel self-wringing means. The combination of squeegee plate with absorbent body provides a combination tool for loosening the most obstinate dirt without harsh wear on the relatively more fragile absorbent body. The squee ee aids in the quick absorption of loose water, by pushing a wall of water into the absorbent mop body. Two distinct mobping surfaces are provided-one for the dirtier and rou her clean-up work and one for light cleaning and finishing clean-up. The mop may be used on both horizontal surfaces such as floors, and vertical surfaces such as walls and windows. It may be used for other purposes; damp, as a dust mop; and for spreading surface preservative and polishing liquids such as wax and the like. It has an improved self-cleansing action which flushes dirt out of the mop and deters penetration of dirt into the mop during wringing. It is easily assembled and disassembled, thereby promoting economy of operation by permitting replacement of the absorbent body as may occasionally be required.

It is to be understood that the language and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description only and not of limitation, and that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for changes and modifications will readily occcur to persons skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A mop comprising a handle, a mop head havin an absorbent body, a rigid member mounted on each of two opposite sides of said absorbent body, a rotatable connection securing said handle to a first one of said rigid members and the second of said members being movable toward said first member, said rotatable connection having an opening therein, a link secured to said second member and passing freely through the opening in said rotatable connection of said first rigid member to said handle, and mechanical advantage means operatively connected to said link and handle for urging said movable member ltjm'al'd said first member to compress said absorbent 2. A mop comprising a handle, a mop head having an absorbent body, a rigid member mounted on each of two opposite sides of said absorbent body, a rotatable connection securing said handle to a first one of said rigid members, the second of said members being movable toward said first member, said rotatable connection having an opening therein, a link secured to said second member and passing freely through the opening in said rotatable connection of said first rigid member to said handle, and an offset lever pivotally mounted on said handle, said lever being pivotally connected to said link and being operable to urge said movable member toward said first member to compress said absorbent body.

3. A mop comprising a handle, a mop head having an absorbent body, a rigid plate mounted on each of two opposite sides of said absorbent body, pivotal means sccuring said handle to a first one of said plates, said pivotal means having an opening therein, and a force multiplying means associated with said mop handle comprising a flexible link secured to the second of said plates and passing freely through the opening in said pivotal means, a loose pulley on the other end of said link in juxtaposition to said handle, and a cord passing through and operatively connected to said pulley, one end of said cord being anchored to said handle and the other end of said cord being placed for manual engagement to urge said second plate, by means of said link, pulley and cord arrangement, toward said first plate, thereby to compress said absorbent body.

4. A mop comprising a mop head having an elongated body of absorbent material with substantially parallel. longitudinal sides. a sheet of relatively flexible material having a sharply defined continuous edge disposed on each of two opposite lon itudinal sides of said absorbent body, said sheet material having edge dimensions less than those of said absorbent body, a pair of rigid plates, one arranged on the outside of each of said flexible sheets, said plates having edge dimensions less than the corresponding ed e dimensions of said sheets, means for mounting said flexible sheets and said body of absorbent material between said plates, a handle attached to one of said plates and the second of said plates being movable toward said first plate, said first plate having an opening therein, a link secured to said second plate and passing freely throu h the opening in said first plate, and an offset lever pivotally mounted on said handle,'said lever being pivotally attached to said link, said lever being disposed in ali nment with said handle during normal operation of said mop and being free for angular movement away from said mop handle to urge said movable plate toward said first plate, thereby to compress said absorbent body.

5. In a mop, a body of compressible absorbent mat rial, a plate mounted on the front side of said body and a second plate mounted on the rear side of said body, a handle having a ferrule, said ferrule being provided with anqularly disposed portions, one of said portions havin' means for fixedly receiving said handle and the other of said portions having a plane surface, a bore through said second plate and said plane surface, a tubular rivet mounted in said bore for rotatable connection of said handle to said sec nd plate. mechanical advanta e means carrie by said handle, and a link connecting said front plate and a said mechanical advantage means, said link passion throu h said rivet, thereby enabling operation of said mechanical advanta e means for compressing said body of absorbent material in any position of said handle.

6. A mop comprising an absorbent body, a rigid sun port m u ted on each of two opposite sides of said absorbent body, a pivot on a first one of said supports, a mop handle rotatably attached to said pivot, a mechanical advanta e means attached to said mop handle and connected with the second of said supports to move it toward the first support, said pivot being tubular and providing an opening throu h said first support, said mechanical advantage means comprising a link disposed through said tubular pivot and said absorbent body and interconnecting said mechanical advantage means and said movable support.

7. A mop comprising an absorbent body, a support mounted on each of two opposite sides of said absorbent body, each said support comprising a flat rigid member of smaller dimensions than said absorbent body, a pivot on a first one of said supports, a mop handle rotatably attached to said pivot; a mechanical advantage means attached to said mop handle and connected with the second one of said supports to move said second support toward the first support, said pivot being tubular; said mechanical advantage means comprising a lever pivoted on said mop handle, a member disposed through said tubular pivot and absorbent body; said member connecting said lever and said movable support, and a squeegee material mounted between each said support and said absorbent body.

8. A mop comprising an absorbent body, a movable and a rigid support mounted on opposite sides of said absorbent body, a pivot on said rigid support, a mop handle rotatably attached to said pivot, a mechanical advantage means attached to said mop handle and connected with said movable support to move it toward the rigid support, said pivot being tubular, said mechanical advantage means including a link attached to the movable support and disposed through said tubular pivot, n'gid support and absorbent body.

9. A mop comprising an absorbent material, a movable and a rigid support mounted on opposite sides of said absorbent body, a pivot on said rigid support, a mop handle rotatably attached to said pivot, a mechanical advantage means attached to said mop handle and connected with said movable support to move it toward the rigid support, said pivot being tubular, said mechanical advantage means comprising a cord whose ends are at tached to said mop handle and a loose pulley movable along said cord, and a member disposed through said tubular pivot, rigid support and absorbent body and interconnecting said mechanicai advantage means and said movable support.

10. A mop comprising an absorbent body, a movable and a rigid support mounted on opposite sides of said absorbent body, a pivot on said rigid support, a mop handle rotatably attached to said pivot, a mechanical advantage means attached to said mop handle and connectcd with said movable support to move it toward the rigid support, said pivot being tubular, said mechanical advantage means comprising a cord whose ends are attached to said mop handle and a pulley movable along said cord, a member disposed through said tubularpivot, rigid support and absorbent body and interconnecting said pulley and said movable support, and a squeegee mounted between each said support and said absorbent body.

11. A mop comprising a handle, a mop head having an absorbent body, a rigid member mounted on each of opposite sides of said absorbent body, said rigid members being relatively movable toward and away from each other, a first one of said members having an opening therein, a link secured to the other of said members and passing freely through the opening in the first one of said members, an offset lever pivotally connected at its break to said handle, one arm of said lever being pivotally attached to said link, said lever being disposed in alignment with said handle during normal operation of said mop and being free for angular movement away from said handle to effect relative movement of said one member toward said other member, and a rotatable connection securing said handle to said first one of said rigid members for rotation of said mop head and presentation of a selected surface to the floor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 102,865 Rees May 10, 1870 850,814 Burdett n- Apr. 16, 1907 1,502,148 Magaton July 22, 1924 1,540,326 Glowa n June 2, 1925 1,797,366 Racklitfe Mar. 24, 1931 2,043,775 Rosen June 9, 1936 2,103,198 Sieumond Dec. 21, 1937 2,171,721 Bingell Sept. 5, 1939 2,251,384 Thomas Aug. 5, 1941 2,413,872 Hoyer Jan. 7, 1947 2,518,765 Ecker Aug. 15, 1950 2,644,182 Siegel July 7, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 243,064 Switzerland Dec. 2, 1946 817,809 France May 31, 1937 

